The Tamron is very good but the Pentax is better in terms of IQ. If the macro feature isn't so important (the Pentax will focus quite close but not as near as the Tamron) then spend the extra £30, get a cheapo hood from eBay and enjoy.

Wonderful overall. Quite a bit of purple fringing wide open but sharp as a knife by f/2.4. Very pretty bokeh. Makes for a nice portrait lens even with a crop factor (just slightly longer than usual). Really wish it had Quick-Shift. Glad it has an aperture ring. Takes 49mm filters (yay! ). Lovely manual focus damping for an AF lens (ie. still not as good as a proper manual lens but closer than most). Perfect size to balance the camera and provide a nice tactile experience ("Goldilocks" dimensions). Attracts curious double-take reactions in other-brand camera users and big grins from fellow Pentaxians.

Only at the moment of capture or during live view. At all other times when the sensor isn't required it can slide of its own free will.

This is probably the single most commonly asked question among new Pentax owners so you're not alone...

I might even hold you to that in the new year - not quite sure what I'd test it against though...

That really is a monster!

So you'll be leaving it unattended in your shop when..?

My Little Pony?

I'll have a visit to our local branch after xmas and see if there's any left - cheers for the tip!

In which case it will be a joy to use too - the M series are fabulous lenses but a little fiddly on digital.

I'll give you 50 quid cash for that DA*300...

In lens stabilisation (as used by Nikon and Canon) has the SR kick in as soon as the camera is activated by the shutter half-press. In body stabilisation (as used by Pentax, Sony, Olympus) only kicks in at the moment of capture for a few miliseconds.

I doubt you'll ever hear the Pentax SR as any noise it does make would be masked by the sound of the mirror rising.